file photo

 

Austria's government has passed a law prohibiting headscarves in schools for girls under 14, sparking significant debate. The conservative-led coalition, which includes the ÖVP, the SPÖ, and Neos, claims the ban supports gender equality, yet critics argue it may incite anti-Muslim sentiment and potentially violate constitutional rights. This legislation applies to both public and private educational institutions.

 

The previous ban targeting under-10s was overturned in 2020 by the Constitutional Court due to its specific focus on Muslims. The new law prevents girls under 14 from wearing traditional Muslim head coverings, such as hijabs and burkas. Should students breach this rule, a dialogue with school authorities and guardians is required, escalating to possible involvement from child welfare agencies and fines up to €800 (approximately 31,200 Thai baht) if non-compliance persists.

 

Government officials argue the legislation aims to empower young girls, stating it safeguards them from oppression. Yannick Shetty of Neos described the ban as a protection of girls' freedom, affecting around 12,000 students. The far-right Freedom Party of Austria, although supportive, believes the ban is insufficient, wishing to extend it to all students and staff, arguing against political Islam in schools.

 

Opposition voices, including the Greens' Sigrid Maurer, deem the law unconstitutional. Austria's official Islamic Community, the IGGÖ, contends it breaches fundamental rights and fosters division, expressing plans to challenge the law's constitutionality. They referenced the 2020 ruling, which deemed such a ban unconstitutional for unfairly targeting a religious minority and breaching equality principles. The government asserts that they have made efforts to conform to legal standards.

 

Commencing with a trial period in February 2026, the ban is set to be fully implemented by September of that year, aligning with the new school year, reported the BBC.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Austria bans headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, igniting debates.
• Critics claim it may breach constitutional rights and fuel anti-Muslim sentiment.
• Full implementation begins in September 2026, following a trial period.

 

Related story

Armed guards at French schools after headscarf-row terror threats

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-12-12

 

 

 

 

Oh disgusting 

What a racist prejudice Country!!!.

 

This is good thing

Good news. 

Hearing from the haters again! 14-year old girl terrorists, right!

 

In fact, one sees very few young girls wearing abaya anyway. Not sure what the criteria is.

Go further and ban them from immigrating to Austria and every other western country.

1 hour ago, koolkarl said:

Go further and ban them from immigrating to Austria and every other western country.

Who is 'them'?

On 12/12/2025 at 5:17 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Oh disgusting 

What a racist prejudice Country!!!.

 

Perhaps don't want young 'Austrians' being brainwashed into wearing religious regalia. They can make their own minds up when they get older, as I did, after being overwhelmed with Christian religious stuff.. 🤫

7 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Who is 'them'?

You know exactly who. If you need a gentle hint - people that think a rape victim should be stoned to death, people that view women as lesser life forms akin to cattle or a dog, people that have taken over and ruined many cities in western europe and that run many vital cities London for example. Are you any closer?

2 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

You know exactly who. If you need a gentle hint - people that think a rape victim should be stoned to death, people that view women as lesser life forms akin to cattle or a dog, people that have taken over and ruined many cities in western europe and that run many vital cities London for example. Are you any closer?

Afraid to say the word?

It's ok as long as signs from other religions are also banned.

 

Interesting related story in the OP. France banned overt religious symbols in schools over 20 years ago but guess who is now playing the victim?

 

Can you guess where the terrorist threat to schools is coming from? 🤔

 

Answer these questions and you'll know why Austria has introduced this policy.

46 minutes ago, transam said:

Perhaps don't want young 'Austrians' being brainwashed into wearing religious regalia. They can make their own minds up when they get older, as I did, after being overwhelmed with Christian religious stuff.. 🤫

 

What about parental rights?

 

And if its about religious regalia and kids having the freedom of choice (they don't because they are under 18), then extend the ban to wearing of Kippots, patka, wearing of crucifixes. the growing of peyots, ash of the forehead on Ash Wednesday.

 

This is more legislation taking away parental rights. Parents have a right to raise their children as they see fit, in whatever faith they want. Adults have the freedom of religion. Countries pay lip service to it. Few countries have anti-Conversion laws; stopping individuals and organisations forcibly converting people. There is also little in the legislation to fully enforced UN IHR Article 18. ie. I want to change my religion, but you try and stop me. How are you punished? You're not.

 

Its discriminatory legislation. It targets muslim girls in particular, and no other religion or gender. It tramples on parental rights, effectively outsourcing prepubescent choice to the state. The state gets to choose with faith you are raised in? Some would love that. The Nazis tried it.

39 minutes ago, candide said:

It's ok as long as signs from other religions are also banned.

 

What religion is this lady?

 

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Afraid to say the word?

 

He's talking ballocks. Sat in a corner of Thailand, realising he's running out of money, so lashes out with racist sentiment.

On 12/12/2025 at 7:09 AM, unblocktheplanet said:

Hearing from the haters again! 14-year old girl terrorists, right!

 

In fact, one sees very few young girls wearing abaya anyway. Not sure what the criteria is.

 

Imagine the conversation in  classroom. The female teacher is wearing a headscarf. She might be muslim, or she might be Orthodox Jew. The child is a muslim child. At the weekends, and when out with her parents, she wears a headscarf. But when she goes to school, she has to leave it off. She asks the teacher why she wears a headscarf. Whether Jewish or Muslim, its a similar story, related to modesty. The teacher might explain that in other countries, the little girl can wear the headscarf if she wants, but in Austria, she doesn't have that freedom, because the government believes her parents' beliefs are wrong. The little girl asks why her classmate, little Rohit, is allowed to wear that turban. The teacher doesn't really have an answer for that. People who are adherants to that religion have been associated with terrorist outrages (Air India over the Atlantic etc). She asks why Adam is allowed to wear his skullcap. Again, the reasoning isn't clear. Adam is forever complaining about his skull cap, it keeps falling off, and other kids take the piss out of him over it. She starts thinking the government doesn't treat people all equally.

 

The girl goes home thinking her parents' values are wrong, because the government says so. She decides to start smoking behind the bikesheds. He parents now have no moral standing, why should she take any notice of them, because the government tells her they are wrong.

4 hours ago, JimCM said:

Who is 'them'?

Don't need to show us you are dumb or something alike. Are expats telling the Thai that they are coming to take over? Well, the muslims do in all EU.

3 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

What religion is this lady?

 

Black Sabbath?

3 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

What religion is this lady?

 

 

How do you know it's a lady? Is it because she's carrying shopping bags? 🤪

An off topic deflection about Israeli snipers in the Gaza strip has been removed as this topic is about:

 

Austria Bans Headscarves for Girls Under 14 in All Schools

9 hours ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

How do you know it's a lady? Is it because she's carrying shopping bags? 🤪

 

FYI, she is a member of the Haredi sect, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect. What she is wearing is referred to in Yiddish as a Frumka. They believe that jewish women must not expose their skin to anyone but their husbands.

 

This is confusing imagry for some

 

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-jewish-taliban-controversial-sect-dismisses-child-neglect-allegations

 

 

 

 

10 hours ago, DD86 said:

Black Sabbath?

 

She is Jewish.

On 12/12/2025 at 5:17 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Oh disgusting 

What a racist prejudice Country!!!.

 

Love the sarcasm....good one!!!

13 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

Imagine the conversation in  classroom. The female teacher is wearing a headscarf. She might be muslim, or she might be Orthodox Jew. The child is a muslim child. At the weekends, and when out with her parents, she wears a headscarf. But when she goes to school, she has to leave it off. She asks the teacher why she wears a headscarf. Whether Jewish or Muslim, its a similar story, related to modesty. The teacher might explain that in other countries, the little girl can wear the headscarf if she wants, but in Austria, she doesn't have that freedom, because the government believes her parents' beliefs are wrong. The little girl asks why her classmate, little Rohit, is allowed to wear that turban. The teacher doesn't really have an answer for that. People who are adherants to that religion have been associated with terrorist outrages (Air India over the Atlantic etc). She asks why Adam is allowed to wear his skullcap. Again, the reasoning isn't clear. Adam is forever complaining about his skull cap, it keeps falling off, and other kids take the piss out of him over it. She starts thinking the government doesn't treat people all equally.

 

The girl goes home thinking her parents' values are wrong, because the government says so. She decides to start smoking behind the bikesheds. He parents now have no moral standing, why should she take any notice of them, because the government tells her they are wrong.

 

Oh, very melodramatic – a little girl "loses faith in her parents" and turns to bike-shed smoking because... no headscarf?

Spare the soap opera; this isn't a dystopian novel, it's a targeted law shielding young girls from early religious pressure, not a blanket "all symbols bad" crusade.

Not All Symbols Banned: The law explicitly targets Islamic headscarves (hijab-style) for girls under 14 – kippahs, Sikh patkas/turbans, Christian crosses are untouched.

Why? Data shows hijab coercion on pre-teens is the documented issue in Austria (social worker reports, integration studies).

Sikh/Jewish symbols? No equivalent early-forced-modesty pressure flagged. Unequal? Yes – because the problems aren't equal. Pretending "why not ban Adam's kippah" is fair ignores reality: Jewish boys aren't systematically veiled at 6 for "modesty."

Teacher's "Answer": Easy – "The law protects little girls from being forced to cover up before they're old enough to choose."

Modesty explanation? Fine for adults/teachers (freedom of religion for grown-ups), but not mandated on kids. Orthodox Jewish women cover hair post-marriage, not pre-puberty like some hijab cases.

"Parents' Values Wrong,

So Smoking"? Laughable slippery slope. Kids rebel over homework bans too – doesn't mean parents lose "moral standing." The law says: Parents can't impose permanent religious markers on children too young to consent. It's pro-child autonomy, not anti-parent.

Your "government overrides family" hysteria? Same logic as banning child marriage or FGM – protecting kids from irreversible choices.

Bottom line: This isn't "unequal treatment breeding resentment" – it's pinpointed protection against documented coercion.

Little girls keep their childhood freedom; parents can teach values at home. No bike-shed cigarettes required. Your emotional vignette crumbles under facts – try reality next time.

On 12/11/2025 at 2:29 PM, webfact said:

file photo

 

Austria's government has passed a law prohibiting headscarves in schools for girls under 14, sparking significant debate. The conservative-led coalition, which includes the ÖVP, the SPÖ, and Neos, claims the ban supports gender equality, yet critics argue it may incite anti-Muslim sentiment and potentially violate constitutional rights. This legislation applies to both public and private educational institutions.

 

The previous ban targeting under-10s was overturned in 2020 by the Constitutional Court due to its specific focus on Muslims. The new law prevents girls under 14 from wearing traditional Muslim head coverings, such as hijabs and burkas. Should students breach this rule, a dialogue with school authorities and guardians is required, escalating to possible involvement from child welfare agencies and fines up to €800 (approximately 31,200 Thai baht) if non-compliance persists.

 

Government officials argue the legislation aims to empower young girls, stating it safeguards them from oppression. Yannick Shetty of Neos described the ban as a protection of girls' freedom, affecting around 12,000 students. The far-right Freedom Party of Austria, although supportive, believes the ban is insufficient, wishing to extend it to all students and staff, arguing against political Islam in schools.

 

Opposition voices, including the Greens' Sigrid Maurer, deem the law unconstitutional. Austria's official Islamic Community, the IGGÖ, contends it breaches fundamental rights and fosters division, expressing plans to challenge the law's constitutionality. They referenced the 2020 ruling, which deemed such a ban unconstitutional for unfairly targeting a religious minority and breaching equality principles. The government asserts that they have made efforts to conform to legal standards.

 

Commencing with a trial period in February 2026, the ban is set to be fully implemented by September of that year, aligning with the new school year, reported the BBC.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Austria bans headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, igniting debates.
• Critics claim it may breach constitutional rights and fuel anti-Muslim sentiment.
• Full implementation begins in September 2026, following a trial period.

 

Related story

Armed guards at French schools after headscarf-row terror threats

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-12-12

 

 

 

 

This is a racist outrage. 

15 hours ago, stevenl said:

Afraid to say the word?

Muslim? The religion of peace and love.

14 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

What religion is this lady?

 

Presbyterian?

14 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

Imagine the conversation in  classroom. The female teacher is wearing a headscarf. She might be muslim, or she might be Orthodox Jew. The child is a muslim child. At the weekends, and when out with her parents, she wears a headscarf. But when she goes to school, she has to leave it off. She asks the teacher why she wears a headscarf. Whether Jewish or Muslim, its a similar story, related to modesty. The teacher might explain that in other countries, the little girl can wear the headscarf if she wants, but in Austria, she doesn't have that freedom, because the government believes her parents' beliefs are wrong. The little girl asks why her classmate, little Rohit, is allowed to wear that turban. The teacher doesn't really have an answer for that. People who are adherants to that religion have been associated with terrorist outrages (Air India over the Atlantic etc). She asks why Adam is allowed to wear his skullcap. Again, the reasoning isn't clear. Adam is forever complaining about his skull cap, it keeps falling off, and other kids take the piss out of him over it. She starts thinking the government doesn't treat people all equally.

 

The girl goes home thinking her parents' values are wrong, because the government says so. She decides to start smoking behind the bikesheds. He parents now have no moral standing, why should she take any notice of them, because the government tells her they are wrong.

You need to get informed. Maybe a word with a father that was forced to stone his poor terrified child to death because she was raped. I saw a video of one of these. The child was buried up to her thighs in the sand and the father was made to do it with fist sized stones as she screamed daddy. It was not a fast ending to put it mildly. What a religion.

 Uninformed westerners are the biggest threat as they allow the religious movement to gain hold and then introduce their vile customs "democratically". How many years until London officially is under sharia law? 20? 50? 

 

15 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

 

What about parental rights?

 

And if its about religious regalia and kids having the freedom of choice (they don't because they are under 18), then extend the ban to wearing of Kippots, patka, wearing of crucifixes. the growing of peyots, ash of the forehead on Ash Wednesday.

 

This is more legislation taking away parental rights. Parents have a right to raise their children as they see fit, in whatever faith they want. Adults have the freedom of religion. Countries pay lip service to it. Few countries have anti-Conversion laws; stopping individuals and organisations forcibly converting people. There is also little in the legislation to fully enforced UN IHR Article 18. ie. I want to change my religion, but you try and stop me. How are you punished? You're not.

 

Its discriminatory legislation. It targets muslim girls in particular, and no other religion or gender. It tramples on parental rights, effectively outsourcing prepubescent choice to the state. The state gets to choose with faith you are raised in? Some would love that. The Nazis tried it.

The kids are wearing the religious stuff because of their parents, who themselves were brainwashed in what THEY must do.

When moving or growing up in a non-Muslim country, mixing with kids of that country that are not bound by religious paraphernalia, the kids should all be in the same boat, FREE, they can do what they like when older...🤫

 

Do you wear religious paraphernalia......?  🫡

17 hours ago, JimCM said:

Who is 'them'?

Certainly includes you.